The Cybernetic Rehabilitation Aid: A novel concept for direct rehabilitation

Abstract

The evaluation and teaching of motor skills in relation to patients are two important aspects of motor skill training. These two points or problems must be resolved in order to make such training effective. To address the issues simultaneously within a single system, this study proposes a Cybernetic Rehabilitation Aid (CRA) under the concept of direct teaching using tactile feedback with an EMG-based motor skill evaluation function. The CRA involves a human-machine-human (physiotherapist-rehabilitation robot-patient) interface known as a Cybernetic Interface Platform using biological signals not only to monitor patients' motor skills but also to directly teach such skills to them. The CIP can also be used as a human-human (physiotherapist-patient) system as well as a human-machine (physiotherapist-rehabilitation robot) system. In order to evaluate motor skills, the motions of the physiotherapist (T) and the patient (P) were analyzed using a loglinearized Gaussian mixture model that can classify motion patterns via electromyography (EMG) signals. Tactile stimulators were used to convey the instructions of the therapist or the system to the patients. A rehabilitation robot known as the Biodex System was integrated into the developed setup for a number of rehabilitation tasks.